Resolution offered on gag study

Resolution Offered on Gag Study
By RUSSELL CLAY
Governor Moore's "study now, decide later" position on the Speaker Ban Law took the form of legislation Wednesday amid expressions of disappointment over his course of action.
A joint resolution was introduced in both General Assembly houses carrying out Moore's call Tuesday for a special study commission. The nine-member body would look into all aspects of the controversial law which has clouded the accreditation of State-supported colleges and universities. Reaction to Moore's position ranged from bristling criticism by State Sen. Ralph
Scott of Alamance to more subdued statements of disappointment from University of North Carolina administrators.
No direct comment was offered by an official of the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges which, along with the University and the General Assembly, has been at the storm center during the current debate.
Emmett B. Fields, of Nashville, Tenn., chairman of the association's Commission on Colleges, said he had not had a chance to study the latest developments centering on the study approach.
It Was Enough
"My May 19 action was enough," Fields said. The reference was to a teelgram he sent Moore serving notice that the issue of continued accreditation of the schools had been raised by the anti-Communist speaker ban. The law, Moore was advised, is considered to be "political interference" in the internal affairs of the colleges' administrations.
No official consideration of the new developments is planned until November, Fields said.
The association's executive council will meet in mid-June "but the North Carolina matter has not been placed on the agenda," Fields said.
The timetable calls for consideration of the matter at a November meeting of the association's Commission on Colleges, said Fields, dean of the school of arts and sciences at Vanderbilt University.
Fields, recalling a May 16 meeting with Moore and others at the Executive Mansion, said the Governor told him the study approach was being considered but no decision had been reached.
The resolution to set up the study group gave it the official, wordy title of "The Commission on the Study of the Statutes Relating to Visiting Speakers at State-Supported Educational Institutions." The chief sponsors were Sen. Robert Morgan of Harnett and Rep. R. D. McMillan of Robeson.
Meeting Setup
The commission would meet "immediately after its appointment" and "at such other times as the chairman may designate."
The chairman would be appointed by the Governor, who would select five of the nine members. Senate President Bob Scott and House Speaker Pat Taylor would appoint two mem bers each.
The commission would make a "full and detailed study" of the ramifications of the 1963 law, which prohibits Communists or Fifth Amendment pleaders in loyalty matters from speaking at State-supported institutions.
Moore's decision had the effect of scotching plans by Sen. Jennings King o' Scotlanf to attempt an amendment to the law. And it drew widespread comments from persons close to the scene, including Senator Scott, Lt. Gov. Scott, Speaker Taylor, Consolidated UNC President William C. Friday and Dr. Paul Sharp, chancellor of the University at Chapel Hill
Senator Scott charged Moore with "embracing the views of 4< the fearful and the timid who rl want to go backward." ;0 The speaker ban, Scott said i. in a statement, poses "the great-:e est threat to higher education n that this State has ever encoun-ie tered." He said: "I fail to see �e what a study of the situation
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GAG�Resolution
Continued from Page One
can produce. ... We all know what the law does. We know what it can do, namely, grind the University down into the dust, taking the proud reputation of the State with it."
Friday said, "The trustees, officers, faculty and students of the university have stated their opposition to the speaker ban law many times.
"They have upheld the university's fundamental commitment to reponsible freedom; to seek the truth; and to the principle of trustee authority to make educational policy decisions.
"Departure from these traditional principles has caused accreditation of public higher education in North Carolina to be called into question. This is a clear warning of erosion of educational standards on our campuses and of the university services throughout the State. We know that the Governor arrived at his decision after full consideration.
"We are ready to assist the special study commission in every way possible because we consider it urgently necessary to halt deterioration of our institutions."
Lt. Gov. Scott, speaking in Greensboro, said he would like to see the Speaker Ban Law amended, but believes Moore acted wisely.
Scott said he believes the prospect that an amendment to the law may have been defeated this session had a strong bearing on the course taken by the Governor.
The lieutenant governor said an informal sampling of the General Assembly showed a two-to-one majority against amending the law.
House Speaker Pat Taylor said the Governor's stand "definitely reflected the opinion of the legislative leaders."
Taylor said there is no reason the legislature would have "to wait two years until it acts on the speaker ban law. Once the commission reports," he added, "the Governor can call a special session."
The House leader said there was a general feeling in the legislature that it would be wrong "to bring forth an amendment that could be defeated before there was time to study the problem."
Chancellor Sharp said: "I am disappointed. I have no doubt this will affect the morale of our faculty."
But Dr. Sharp said there appeared to be a ray of hope in the Governor's statement.
"He indicates an investigation might show the need for a special session to consider this question. If this commission gives the problem careful study, the educational aspects rather than the emotional ones might come to the forefront."
Senator King said he had abandoned hope for a long-pending effort to have the law amended to return the respon-siblity for visiting speakers to the boards of trustees.
"I'm not one to go around fighting for lost causes," King said.
See GAG, Page Two

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Resolution Offered on Gag Study
By RUSSELL CLAY
Governor Moore's "study now, decide later" position on the Speaker Ban Law took the form of legislation Wednesday amid expressions of disappointment over his course of action.
A joint resolution was introduced in both General Assembly houses carrying out Moore's call Tuesday for a special study commission. The nine-member body would look into all aspects of the controversial law which has clouded the accreditation of State-supported colleges and universities. Reaction to Moore's position ranged from bristling criticism by State Sen. Ralph
Scott of Alamance to more subdued statements of disappointment from University of North Carolina administrators.
No direct comment was offered by an official of the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges which, along with the University and the General Assembly, has been at the storm center during the current debate.
Emmett B. Fields, of Nashville, Tenn., chairman of the association's Commission on Colleges, said he had not had a chance to study the latest developments centering on the study approach.
It Was Enough
"My May 19 action was enough," Fields said. The reference was to a teelgram he sent Moore serving notice that the issue of continued accreditation of the schools had been raised by the anti-Communist speaker ban. The law, Moore was advised, is considered to be "political interference" in the internal affairs of the colleges' administrations.
No official consideration of the new developments is planned until November, Fields said.
The association's executive council will meet in mid-June "but the North Carolina matter has not been placed on the agenda," Fields said.
The timetable calls for consideration of the matter at a November meeting of the association's Commission on Colleges, said Fields, dean of the school of arts and sciences at Vanderbilt University.
Fields, recalling a May 16 meeting with Moore and others at the Executive Mansion, said the Governor told him the study approach was being considered but no decision had been reached.
The resolution to set up the study group gave it the official, wordy title of "The Commission on the Study of the Statutes Relating to Visiting Speakers at State-Supported Educational Institutions." The chief sponsors were Sen. Robert Morgan of Harnett and Rep. R. D. McMillan of Robeson.
Meeting Setup
The commission would meet "immediately after its appointment" and "at such other times as the chairman may designate."
The chairman would be appointed by the Governor, who would select five of the nine members. Senate President Bob Scott and House Speaker Pat Taylor would appoint two mem bers each.
The commission would make a "full and detailed study" of the ramifications of the 1963 law, which prohibits Communists or Fifth Amendment pleaders in loyalty matters from speaking at State-supported institutions.
Moore's decision had the effect of scotching plans by Sen. Jennings King o' Scotlanf to attempt an amendment to the law. And it drew widespread comments from persons close to the scene, including Senator Scott, Lt. Gov. Scott, Speaker Taylor, Consolidated UNC President William C. Friday and Dr. Paul Sharp, chancellor of the University at Chapel Hill
Senator Scott charged Moore with "embracing the views of 4< the fearful and the timid who rl want to go backward." ;0 The speaker ban, Scott said i. in a statement, poses "the great-:e est threat to higher education n that this State has ever encoun-ie tered." He said: "I fail to see �e what a study of the situation
i
i
GAG�Resolution
Continued from Page One
can produce. ... We all know what the law does. We know what it can do, namely, grind the University down into the dust, taking the proud reputation of the State with it."
Friday said, "The trustees, officers, faculty and students of the university have stated their opposition to the speaker ban law many times.
"They have upheld the university's fundamental commitment to reponsible freedom; to seek the truth; and to the principle of trustee authority to make educational policy decisions.
"Departure from these traditional principles has caused accreditation of public higher education in North Carolina to be called into question. This is a clear warning of erosion of educational standards on our campuses and of the university services throughout the State. We know that the Governor arrived at his decision after full consideration.
"We are ready to assist the special study commission in every way possible because we consider it urgently necessary to halt deterioration of our institutions."
Lt. Gov. Scott, speaking in Greensboro, said he would like to see the Speaker Ban Law amended, but believes Moore acted wisely.
Scott said he believes the prospect that an amendment to the law may have been defeated this session had a strong bearing on the course taken by the Governor.
The lieutenant governor said an informal sampling of the General Assembly showed a two-to-one majority against amending the law.
House Speaker Pat Taylor said the Governor's stand "definitely reflected the opinion of the legislative leaders."
Taylor said there is no reason the legislature would have "to wait two years until it acts on the speaker ban law. Once the commission reports," he added, "the Governor can call a special session."
The House leader said there was a general feeling in the legislature that it would be wrong "to bring forth an amendment that could be defeated before there was time to study the problem."
Chancellor Sharp said: "I am disappointed. I have no doubt this will affect the morale of our faculty."
But Dr. Sharp said there appeared to be a ray of hope in the Governor's statement.
"He indicates an investigation might show the need for a special session to consider this question. If this commission gives the problem careful study, the educational aspects rather than the emotional ones might come to the forefront."
Senator King said he had abandoned hope for a long-pending effort to have the law amended to return the respon-siblity for visiting speakers to the boards of trustees.
"I'm not one to go around fighting for lost causes," King said.
See GAG, Page Two